Published: Saturday, October 5, 2013 at 6:58 p.m.

Last Modified: Saturday, October 5, 2013 at 6:58 p.m.

Bailey, 50, decided to run for the District 2 seat because he says Brown, a Democrat from Napoleonville, isn’t providing the quality leadership that’s needed.

“I’m not running for Dwayne Bailey, I’m running for change in the political system for this district,” he said. “The old politics of the 1980s shouldn’t be in play in 2013. There is too much opportunity to see this district stagnated because of lack of leadership.”

Bailey said his family raised him to be community-minded, so running for office was an easy decision.

He believes the problems that exist today in politics are there because the right candidates aren’t running, Bailey said, quoting a passage from the Bible, “When the righteous thrive, the people rejoice; when the wicked rule, the people groan.”

“We need to get away from elected officials who we know do not measure up to the standards that we personally hold and start looking for those good candidates in ourselves. We need to champion those who hold the same values that we do as Christian people,” Bailey said.

Brown was elected in 2011, defeating Elton Aubert by garnering 53 percent of the vote in a runoff election.

This isn’t Bailey’s first bid for office. He was defeated in a 2012 run against U.S. Rep. Cedric Richmond, D-La. Bailey finished third, garnering 14 percent of the vote.

After a brief career as a broadcast journalist, Bailey began working in the health field, including stints as executive director of the Donaldsonville Community Health Coalition and on the Baton Rouge HIV/Aids Board.

Bailey said he’ll advocate for more preventative programs pertaining to alcohol and drug abuse, obesity and diabetes.

“A healthier community costs less money ... it serves as a catalyst to power the community, the healthier your citizens are then generally leads to a more dynamic, proactive community that pushes itself into that mode of prosperity,” Bailey said.

Prevention is the only way the region can successfully deal with its health problems, Bailey said.

“We need preventative measures in schools. I’ve worked with churches to teach healthy cooking and healthy eating habits ... to reduce diabetes and obesity, which are two health care issues that really affect more Louisianians more than anything,” he said.

Bailey credits his experience in the health field for helping him understand how to build and sustain communities.

“I understand creating that infrastructure in a proper way that leads to longevity,” he said.

Bailey’s current job is as a process operator and supervisor at Shell-Motiva Oil Refinery. Bailey said economics, “had something to do with the change,” referencing higher paying jobs available along Louisiana’s industrial corridor, a group of refineries along the Mississippi River.

“I want to see these schools like Nicholls State strive to produce jobs like surveyors, chemical engineers, mechanical engineers and electrical engineers to continue to feed that corridor,” Bailey said. It’s up to schools like Nicholls and LSU to keep these jobs in the state.

“I’m glad to be here where we have a university the size of Nicholls State that’s vibrant and big enough in size and scope but is also a community based college that can actually provide a safe environment for our kids to be educated and grow into this industry that’s only going to get bigger and bigger,” he said.

Bailey said he admires Gov. Bobby Jindal, who he calls one of the smartest men he has ever met, and said he supports the governor’s school voucher program.

“Our public school system has its problems. We need to correct those problems and they need the resources to do it, but no child deserves to be left behind .. no child needs to be in a failing school in 2013. Until we have those problems corrected in the public schools system, I think we need to champion the voucher system so the children can get a quality education,” Bailey said.

Bailey also points to the Mississippi River Reintroduction to Bayou Lafourche project as one of great importance for the region.

The state Senate election will share the ballot with the race for governor. It is set for Oct. 24, 2015. Candidates will qualify, or sign up to run, Sept. 8-10 of that year.

Staff Writer Jacob Batte can be reached at 448-7635 or jacob.batte@dailycomet.com. Follow him on Twitter @ja_batte

<p>Republican Dwayne Bailey of Donaldsonville plans to challenge freshman state senator Troy Brown in the 2015 election.</p><p>Bailey, 50, decided to run for the District 2 seat because he says Brown, a Democrat from Napoleonville, isn't providing the quality leadership that's needed.</p><p>“I'm not running for Dwayne Bailey, I'm running for change in the political system for this district,” he said. “The old politics of the 1980s shouldn't be in play in 2013. There is too much opportunity to see this district stagnated because of lack of leadership.”</p><p>Bailey said his family raised him to be community-minded, so running for office was an easy decision. </p><p>He believes the problems that exist today in politics are there because the right candidates aren't running, Bailey said, quoting a passage from the Bible, “When the righteous thrive, the people rejoice; when the wicked rule, the people groan.”</p><p>“We need to get away from elected officials who we know do not measure up to the standards that we personally hold and start looking for those good candidates in ourselves. We need to champion those who hold the same values that we do as Christian people,” Bailey said. </p><p>Brown was elected in 2011, defeating Elton Aubert by garnering 53 percent of the vote in a runoff election.</p><p>This isn't Bailey's first bid for office. He was defeated in a 2012 run against U.S. Rep. Cedric Richmond, D-La. Bailey finished third, garnering 14 percent of the vote. </p><p>After a brief career as a broadcast journalist, Bailey began working in the health field, including stints as executive director of the Donaldsonville Community Health Coalition and on the Baton Rouge HIV/Aids Board. </p><p>Bailey said he'll advocate for more preventative programs pertaining to alcohol and drug abuse, obesity and diabetes. </p><p>“A healthier community costs less money ... it serves as a catalyst to power the community, the healthier your citizens are then generally leads to a more dynamic, proactive community that pushes itself into that mode of prosperity,” Bailey said. </p><p>Prevention is the only way the region can successfully deal with its health problems, Bailey said. </p><p>“We need preventative measures in schools. I've worked with churches to teach healthy cooking and healthy eating habits ... to reduce diabetes and obesity, which are two health care issues that really affect more Louisianians more than anything,” he said.</p><p>Bailey credits his experience in the health field for helping him understand how to build and sustain communities. </p><p>“I understand creating that infrastructure in a proper way that leads to longevity,” he said.</p><p>Bailey's current job is as a process operator and supervisor at Shell-Motiva Oil Refinery. Bailey said economics, “had something to do with the change,” referencing higher paying jobs available along Louisiana's industrial corridor, a group of refineries along the Mississippi River. </p><p>“I want to see these schools like Nicholls State strive to produce jobs like surveyors, chemical engineers, mechanical engineers and electrical engineers to continue to feed that corridor,” Bailey said. It's up to schools like Nicholls and LSU to keep these jobs in the state. </p><p>“I'm glad to be here where we have a university the size of Nicholls State that's vibrant and big enough in size and scope but is also a community based college that can actually provide a safe environment for our kids to be educated and grow into this industry that's only going to get bigger and bigger,” he said.</p><p>Bailey said he admires Gov. Bobby Jindal, who he calls one of the smartest men he has ever met, and said he supports the governor's school voucher program.</p><p>“Our public school system has its problems. We need to correct those problems and they need the resources to do it, but no child deserves to be left behind .. no child needs to be in a failing school in 2013. Until we have those problems corrected in the public schools system, I think we need to champion the voucher system so the children can get a quality education,” Bailey said.</p><p>Bailey also points to the Mississippi River Reintroduction to Bayou Lafourche project as one of great importance for the region.</p><p>The state Senate election will share the ballot with the race for governor. It is set for Oct. 24, 2015. Candidates will qualify, or sign up to run, Sept. 8-10 of that year.</p><p> </p><p>Staff Writer Jacob Batte can be reached at 448-7635 or jacob.batte@dailycomet.com. Follow him on Twitter @ja_batte</p>